Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football, ending Portugal's CR7 & Siuuu era

Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on Thursday, bringing an end to a 23-year career with Portugal that saw him become the highest goalscorer and the most-capped player in men's international football.

The 41-year-old confirmed his decision in a lengthy video message on social media, saying he would "hand back the No. 7 shirt" after the November international break.

"To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said.


"I never felt it belonged to me alone but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world," he added.

Ronaldo made 234 appearances for Portugal, scoring 146 goals since making his international debut against Kazakhstan on August 20, 2003. His first international goal came against Greece during Euro 2004, marking the beginning of a career that would establish him as one of the most prolific players in international football.

Of his 146 goals for Portugal, 124 came in competitive fixtures, including FIFA World Cup matches, European Championships, UEFA Nations League games and qualifiers. The remaining 22 goals came in international friendlies.

Also read: Cristiano Ronaldo announces international retirement: A look at his 234 appearances, 146 goals and other Portugal records

He also registered 10 international hat-tricks and scored four goals in a single match on two occasions.

Ronaldo's World Cup and European Championship records

Ronaldo became the first player to score in six different editions of the FIFA World Cup, achieving the feat across the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 tournaments. He scored 11 goals across his World Cup appearances.

At the European Championship, he holds the all-time goalscoring record with 14 goals across six tournaments.

One of the defining moments of his international career came in 2016, when he captained Portugal to their first-ever European Championship title. He also played a significant role in the country's UEFA Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025.

His retirement brings to a close a career that began more than two decades ago, ahead of Euro 2004, and saw him establish records for both international appearances and goals.